The Great Unmasking

Well, as I'm sure you're all aware, it happened.  The CDC suddenly came out and said, "Yo, you vaxxed guys can dump your masks now, yo." BOOM. 

Just like that.

No build up. 

I mean, wearing a mask has become second nature after a year-and-a-half. I began to finally accept it as the new norm, hardly even bothered me after a while. My second skin. Hell, it became so normal, everyone in my dreams wore masks. Now, I feel like I need some time to adjust to the whole masklessness of it all.

Part of it is my distrust of my fellow citizens. The pandemic has made a lot of people and politicians crazier than usual. I guarantee that a lot of the people out there running around without masks right now haven't been vaccinated.

Which just gripes my goat. I don't understand the "anti-vaxxers." They cry about how they should have freedom to not wear a mask or choose not to get the vaccine. And buy assault rifles. What they don't take into consideration is that they're holding the rest of us hostage by refusing to get vaccinated. So much for their ballyhooed "freedom." Thanks, guys!

Not only is refusing the vaccination downright selfish, it just doesn't make sense. The vaccination doesn't carry tracking microchips, for God's sake. Why anyone would refuse to possibly save their--and their fellow citizens'--lives is beyond me. Of course it doesn't help when a lot of our so-called political leaders are refusing the vaccine. In the House of Representatives, only 95 of 212 Republican House members have been vaccinated. What the HELL, guys?

It's all become so tiresome with everything so politicized. The chances of swaying someone from one side of the argument to yours is flat-out rarer than catching a snipe.

But, hey, it's Amurica, dammit! Land of the free! Home of the brave people with assault rifles! And the unvaccinated! I suppose it's everyone's right not to get the vaccine. But your personal "freedom" should end when it puts the person next to you at risk. There was some local Kansas idiot who ran the worst Mexican restaurant I've ever suffered. He refused to have his customers AND staff wear masks because "a man has to draw the line somewhere." Big talk from a little mind. "Would you like a side of Covid with your burrito?" 

Freedom to go out and infect people ain't what America's about. Damn skippy. Can't believe I have to spell it out.

Anyway, back to the CDC's decision... As I said earlier, I've become a lot more distrustful lately (thanks politicians!). This CDC unmasking seemed incredibly sudden. I didn't think we were anywhere close to achieving it yet. I still don't. I suppose there's a level of anxiety about it all. When my wife and I finally reentered a movie theater, it just felt wrong to be sitting there without a mask as we binged on popcorn. (By the way, there weren't very many cinematic options. But, hell, we would've sat through "Barney's Big Purple Blunder" just for the experience.) So, why did the CDC finally have a change of heart? I know there's been political pressure on them (again with the stoopid politicians!) to issue the new order, so I can't help but feel they may have bowed down to the idiot "lawmakers."

I'm still wearing my mask out even though I've been fully vaxxed for some time. However, we've actually eaten at a couple of restaurants, trying to get back to living our lives. But baby steps, man, give me baby steps.

If you haven't yet read one of my books (in or out of a mask), then take some baby steps toward my short story collection, Twisted Tales from Tornado Alley. You'll get a little bit of everything here, including a lot of dumb, stubborn Amuricans who get what's coming to them!

 

The Vaccination Quandary

Purely by luck, I got my first Covid vaccination shot last weekend! And I don't know how I feel about it!

Okay, let's back up a bit...

First of all, when I write about the vaccination quandary, it's probably not what you think. I'm definitely not an anti-vaxxer. I don't even understand those people, they don't speak my language. 

Okay, facts are facts and science is science (contrary to what the last political administration would have you believe): along with every vaccine, there will be allergic reactions. They're extremely rare, but there's always *that guy* who can't tolerate it. This is true with the flu shots as well. (At my last job, when they'd dole out flu shots, there was *that guy* who always said the flu shot made him sick; I think he just wanted the day off).

And, sure, there might be some unforeseen side-effects. Bound to happen once they rushed the vaccine out. But to me the odds are in the vaccine's favor.

Recently, I found myself in a really stupid position: arguing with an anti-vaxxer on Facebook (Einstein had it wrong; surely this is the definition of insanity). I said it's better to have, say, hair grow on your palms or grow a third eye than to die. The anti-vaxxer took me to task over this, called me dumb, said neither vaccines or masks work. (And she's calling me dumb! She went on to cry about how Kyle Rittenhouse should be freed, so I bailed, lucky to get out alive). 

Even if you don't believe in vaccines (and again...why? Because that mysterious magical voodoo called "science" says so? Or because our disgraced former numbskull-in-charge poo-poohed it? Don't make me come over there!), it's your duty as a fellow human being to help keep others safe as well. This common tenet of humanity shouldn't have to be explained. It transcends patriotism. It's about being a decent person. You know...the Golden Rule.

Yet, how many people have forgotten this. In this crazed era, everyone's hating everyone else, pointing fingers, Democrats blame Republicans and vice-versa to the point where we've got crazy factions branching out on both sides doing crazier things to out crazy each other. And to put a nice cherry on top of it, when all else fails, sue, sue, sue! It's insane (you know, like arguing with anti-vaxxers on Facebook)!

So everyone take a breath, relax. Take your damn vaccine when it's time.

Which brings me back full circle... Last Saturday, my wife volunteered to help vaccinate dental students in downtown Kansas City. It was also during a snow storm. So she let me know that they had extra vaccines since some students cancelled. 

Sold! And to quote former VP Mike Pence, "Being gay is a choice."  Wait! Sorry, sorry, sorry, wrong Pence quote! Here's the right one: "I didn't feel a thing."

At first I was giddy at receiving the vaccine. It was the beginning of the end of a year-long nightmare. But then--just like grief--various feelings ebbed and flowed. I started feeling guilty in that there are others who need the vaccine more than me, those people (like my daughter) who deal with people mask-to-mask on a daily basis. Then I started worrying about all of my unvaccinated loved ones. Then depression hit: the world didn't change. Nothing would magically right itself regarding social distancing, masking, taking precautions, simply being able to eat out in a restaurant. This was life as we knew it and we'd taken it for granted.

But, maybe, just maybe, we're getting a second chance. So, let's not blow it this time. 

While you're waiting for your vaccinations, how about taking your mind off it all for a bit with a little comedy and mystery? I'm talking Bad Day in a Banana Hammock, of course.  It'll fix you up real good.